1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to packaging of racked parts in a container, and, more specifically, to a system and method of interactively optimizing shipping density of racked parts.
2. Background Art
Manufacturers of products and especially products derived from assembled parts, frequently utilize individual parts that are fabricated at a different location than the assembly location. As a result, the individual parts are transported to the assembly location via a transport means, such as by rail, truck or air. Frequently, the parts are transported in a container. Depending on the size and shape of the individual part, a number of individual parts may be placed in a rack and shipped within the container.
A product, such as a vehicle, is assembled from a large number of component parts of various shapes and sizes. Most of the component parts are shipped into the assembly plant from another location. Various strategies are utilized to control inbound freight costs. One strategy is to reuse the containers. Another strategy is to increase the density of the parts shipped in each container.
In the past, manual techniques were utilized to determine the optimum number of parts, or density of parts, that could fit on a rack within the shipping container. For example, a manual estimate was made of rack density using a two-dimensional model. This estimate was typically based on previous experiences. The results of this analysis are utilized in determining the financial impact to the manufacturer, such as freight cost, container investment or the like. Therefore, any change to the shape and/or size of a particular component part could potentially affect the rack density, as well as the freight and container investment costs.
At the same time, computer-assisted design techniques are frequently incorporated in the development of a new vehicle, or redesign of an existing vehicle. These computer-assisted design techniques include Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software tools and enhanced visualization software tools that allow for interactive display and manipulation of large-scale geometric models. One aspect of the design process is to construct a geometric model of the proposed design using a technique known as Computer-Aided Design (CAD). The combined use of Computer-Aided Design and visualization techniques is especially beneficial in the design and analysis of individual component parts with respect to the overall product. Advantageously, potential vehicle model designs can be considered in a timely and cost-effective manner by analyzing a digital representation of a proposed design, versus preparing a physical prototype of an individual component, or the vehicle, or a portion thereof. In the past, container designers sometimes used the three-dimensional CAD model to analyze the shipping density of the component part in a two-dimensional environment.
While the current manual methods of approximating shipping density provide a solution, it may not be an optimized solution. The current methods are time consuming and there may be inconsistencies across various product lines. Thus, there is a need in the art for a system and method of automatically approximating the shipping density of component parts within a container, and quantifying the financial effect of part shipping density for the product.